


Papa's Here

by PrinceOfHell00



Series: Life With Papa!Sebastian and Little!Ciel [1]
Category: Kuroshitsuji | Black Butler
Genre: Age Regression/De-Aging, All aboard the Feels train, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst and Feels, Caring Sebastian, Choo Choo!, Crying, Diapers, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Little!Ciel, Nightmares, Non-Sexual Age Play, Papa!Sebastian, Platonic Relationships, Temper Tantrums, alternate universe - littles are known, stuffed animals, toddler!Ciel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-05
Updated: 2019-06-05
Packaged: 2020-04-08 10:33:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,568
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19105348
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PrinceOfHell00/pseuds/PrinceOfHell00
Summary: After suffering from endless nightmares about his parents and papa every time he falls asleep, Ciel finally opens up to his papa about them and gets the comfort and reassurance he's so desperately needed.





	Papa's Here

**Author's Note:**

> Holy shit I'm so sorry it's taken me this long to get a new fic out!!! I had major writer's block again for so damn long. Tho why my dumbass decided to create another AU? Who fuckin' knows, because it sure wasn't the writer's block. -_- But nonetheless, here's the first fic of my new series that made me lose a shit ton of sanity. Enjooooyyyy~!! ^ ^
> 
>  Ciel's headspace: 2yrs
> 
>  
> 
> P.S I did my best to use British terms, but if you find any mistakes just remember it's because I'm a silly American lolol.
> 
> **edited, because I'm a moron who ended up leaving a plot hole right near the fucking end. :))))

" _Two weeks ago, the city of London lost the beloved owner of the just as beloved Funtom shops', Vincent Phantomhive._ _Today,_ _we've finally received word on who will be taking Mr. Phantomhive's place as_ _head_ _of the Funtom company; Tanaka Tokinomiya, Mr. Phantomhive's assistant in manufacturing_ _and family friend of eleven years, will be_ _taking_ _over temporarily, until further notice._ " There was a pause, as the woman on the screen shuffled around some papers. " _Now, onto--_ "

_Click._

Next, another woman appeared on the screen of yet another news station.

" _It's now been announced that Tanaka Tokinomiya will be the new owner of Funtom Co. temporarily, until the son of the original owner and founder, Ciel Phantomhive, comes of age--_ "

_Click._

This time, a man appeared on the screen.

" _After two weeks of many people wondering what would happen to the Funtom company now that its beloved owner and founder is not of this world anymore, there's finally an answer;_ _after extensive reviewing, Mr. Phantomhive's will stated that if something were to happen to both him and his wife, that the company would temporarily be handed over to his assistant and friend_ , _Tanaka Tokinomiya_ _, until his son comes of age;_ _Where_ _the boy can then decide what he wants to do with it_ _. Although,_ _given the boy's classification, when that time does come, we shouldn't expect him_ _to_ _keep it up and running for very long after, or at all, for that matter. After all, littles aren't exactly suited_ _for owning and running a_ _million dollar company like Funtom--_ "

_Click._

" _\--let's be honest, there's no way a little can take on this much responsibility, especially one with such a low headspace--_ "

_Click._

" _\--_ _I_ _would like to be optimistic about the boy being successful in running his father's company, but if we're being honest--_ "

_Click._

" _\--I mean, I just don't understand why a highly successful neutral would leave the future of a company like Funtom, in the hands of a_ little _. What exactly are people to expect, that just because it's a toy company for both_ littles _and biological children, that it'll somehow be easy for a_ little _to run and manage it? I think not. I get that it's his son and he wanted to leave him with something grand, but it was honestly a very irresponsible and stu--_ "

_Click!_

Sebastian shut the television off, glaring at the now void and black screen. He threw the remote down beside him, letting out a deep, heavy sigh as he sank back into the sofa.

It seemed like every news station in all of Britain itself was talking about the Phantomhives--talking a bit too much, in Sebastian's opinion. It was one thing to announce Funtom's new owner--that was all well and fine, obviously--but to then start judging and disrespecting the son of both the deceased Phantomhives on live television, just because the boy's a little? That, made Sebastian's blood boil. And the fact that people still held a stigma against littles in this day and age, made Sebastian sick.

Sebastian had lived with and known the Phantomhives for almost seven years, and in that time, they treated him like family; even more than his own biological family, ever did. They were the kindest, caring, and most generous people Sebastian ever had the fortune of knowing. So for someone who didn't even know them personally, to dare speak such disrespect about them and their son-- _his_ little--was just completely out of line and down right unacceptable.

Sebastian turned his head to look at the clock above the living room entrance. It read 8:03pm, which meant it was time to get Ciel to bed.

The caregiver leaned forward and put his head in his hands, taking a few slow, deep breaths to calm himself. The last thing Sebastian (or Ciel) needed was to make the boy think that his anger was directed at him. He took one last deep breath, before finally lifting himself up and off the black sofa.

As Sebastian headed for the stairs, he really hoped that getting Ciel to sleep tonight would prove to be a lot easier than it did the night before.

After needing to spend the last two weeks at a littles orphanage until paperwork for his adoption was completed, and to make sure that Sebastian went through all of the necessary evaluations, Ciel was finally able to come back home last night. Sebastian knew the last couple weeks took a major toll on Ciel's mental well being (what with dealing with the grief of his parents sudden death, and being sent to stay at an unfamiliar place with people he was even more unfamiliar with), but as soon as the little had walked through the front door, Sebastian saw that it had also taken a very major toll on him physically, too; dark circles clung beneath the boy's eyes, his skin looked three shades paler, and his movements were more than a little sluggish--indicating to the caregiver that the boy hadn't been sleeping well. As soon as the little was through the door, Sebastian had quickly scooped him up into his arms--despite the boy's protests that he wasn't feeling little, yet--once he was in Sebastian's arms he melted right into him, burying his head into his caregiver's neck with a quiet, content sigh. As soon as Sebastian bid the social worker a farewell and good night, and she promptly left their residence, the caregiver right away began asking Ciel why he looked as if he hadn't slept whatsoever since the last time Sebastian saw him. The little answered that it had just been really hard for him to fall asleep in a strange place that he wasn't used to, especially while being surrounded by so many other littles and caregivers that he didn't know well, either. Other than that, Ciel said nothing bad or out of the ordinary happened while he was there. Hearing that did ease most of Sebastian's concerns (just the thought of Ciel being in any kind of harmful situation made Sebastian's eyes go red with rage). Although, call it his caregiver instincts, but he could tell that Ciel was hiding something from him. He thought about pressing the boy for more answers, but decided against it when he saw the little's eyes drooping dangerously close. But somehow, even with the boy being almost dead on his feet, when Sebastian told him it was time for bed, getting the little dressed and into his crib was like trying to bathe a wild cat!

For an hour straight, the house had been filled with the wailing screams of a very overtired and regressed two year old. It ended up taking an extra hour and a half of rocking just to get the little one to sleep; Sebastian had never felt more grateful than he did, in that moment, that they didn't have close neighbors. After all that, Sebastian figured the poor thing would sleep straight through the night without a problem. Oh, how wrong he'd been.

At 5:00am sharp, the caregiver was woken up by a combination of loud wailing and his name being called through the baby monitor on his nightstand. Finding out it was only a wet nappy that woke the little one up, he figured that once the boy was cleaned up and put into a fresh one, they'd both be able to get back to sleep before it was actually time to be up. But once again, he couldn't have been more wrong. No matter what Sebastian did to try and get the little back to sleep (back rubs, rocking, warm milk, lullabies), Ciel would only try to squirm away from him and whine in protest, saying he wasn't sleepy anymore. As much as Sebastian had wanted Ciel to, at the very least, get a good eight hours of sleep, he knew that if he would have kept trying to coax the boy into it, then Ciel's whinging would've turned into a full blown strop. And, so began their very, very long day.

Sebastian carefully opened the light green colored door and stepped into the grand forest themed playroom. Sebastian spotted Ciel right away, the little was sitting in the corner of the room at a round wooden table, one arm curled around his beloved grey Bitter Rabbit while he was putting together a puzzle. Well, trying to, at least. From the way his head kept bobbing up and down, it was obvious the boy couldn't keep his eyes open for more than a couple seconds at a time, much less be able to concentrate on something that was mental related.

Because of his sleepy state, Ciel hadn't yet noticed him, so to gain his attention Sebastian gently knocked on the wall. "Ciel, love, it's time for bed."

Ciel slowly lifted his head up, after what was probably the thousandth time it bobbed down. "Bu' m'no'd tired, papa," he said, just before a jaw splitting yawn overcame him.

Sebastian couldn't help but chuckle in amusement at the boy's stubbornness. He definitely took after his mother in that department.

"That yawn would suggest otherwise, love."

The caregiver walked over and knelt down beside the boy, gently taking the puzzle piece out of Ciel's hand and placing it down on the table. "You can finish your puzzle tomorrow, love. Right now, it's time for all little boys to be in bed sleeping." He lifted Ciel into his arms, one arm supporting the boy's bottom and the other secured around his back.

"Nooo... I don' wanna go t'bed, papa."

"You have to, my little love. It's been a very long day, and your body needs rest."

"Nooo, I wanna stay up wi'v you."

"How about this, instead of only one bedtime story tonight, papa reads you two? How does that sound?"

Ciel shook his head furiously. "No! I don' wan'a story an' I don' wanna go t'bed!" He exclaimed, beginning to try and squirm out of Sebastian's arms.

Sebastian blinked in surprise at the boy's outburst, quickly readjusting his hold on the squirming little so he wouldn't drop him. A worried crease formed in the middle of the caregiver's forehead. Something was wrong, he could feel it. In the past, like any child (mentally or physically), Ciel would rebel against going to bed (usually only on nights when his parents were out at a social function and wouldn't be back until late), but he never did it in two consecutive nights, like now. This time didn't seem to be just a toddler's rebellion against not wanting to be put to bed, and Sebastian had a feeling it had something to do with whatever else happened at the orphanage that Ciel was hiding from him.

"Ciel, love, papa needs you to calm down and tell him why you don't want to go to bed," Sebastian said in a firm, but gentle tone.

Ciel only continued to struggle against Sebastian for a few prolonged seconds, putting all his strength (which wasn't much, at the moment, given his current state) in trying to escape his caregiver's hold. He soon grew frustrated with his failed attempts, though, and yelled out, "I jus'. Don'. Wanna!" Before then proceeding to throw his stuffed bunny rabbit onto the floor as hard as he could, making the caregiver's jaw drop in shock at the aggressive action.

In the short time that Ciel's had the blue eyed and grey rabbit, Sebastian had never seen him mistreat it in any way. Until now, that is. There was definitely something wrong for the little to react this way, something very wrong.

As much as Sebastian didn't want to use it, he knew that if he didn't neither of them would be getting any sleep tonight; he had no choice but to use, the 'Papa Face' (name dubbed by Ciel himself).

"Ciel, that's enough. If you can't calm down and tell papa why you're so upset about going to bed, then I'll have no choice but to sit you in the naughty chair. You know the rules as well as I do, so you know that we don't throw things no matter how angry or frustrated we get," Sebastian spoke in a stern, no nonsense tone of voice.

At the mention of his misbehaving actions that took place just moments ago, a look of--what Sebastian could only describe as--horror dawned on the little's face as if he only just now realized what he'd done. In an instant, all the rebellious fight drained out of him; leaving a still and wide, teary eyed little in its place.

"I... I saw'ree, papa... d-did'n mean t'be b-b-bad...!" The little managed to choke out before breaking into tears and collapsing against his caregiver's chest.

Instantaneously, Sebastian's face softened and he quickly set into the motion of comforting his weeping little boy. "Oh, my darling, no. You're not bad, you just didn't make the best of decisions, is all," Sebastian softly spoke, rubbing the boy's back in soothing circles.

"No-huh-no nau'ee ch-chair?"

"No, love. As long as there's no more naughty behavior, then there's no need for papa to sit you in the naughty chair," the caregiver replied, pressing a kiss to the top of the boy's head as he began to rock him back and forth. 

Sebastian managed to maneuver himself and Ciel onto the large green sofa that stood against one of the playroom walls'; the weepy little one cradled securely in his arms. While he was at it, he also managed to pick up the grey rabbit from the floor and blindly sit it down somewhere to his left on the sofa, knowing the little boy would ask for the stuffed toy, eventually. Sebastian continued to gently rock and speak words of comfort and reassurance to Ciel, until the overly tired and emotional toddler's tears finally came to a stop, and all that remained were quiet sniffles.

"Ciel, love, can you please tell papa the real reason why you don't want to go to bed?" Sebastian gently asked, running a hand through the boy's dark hair.

"Jus'... jus' no'd tired."

The caregiver breathed a sigh. "Darling, you barely slept at all last night, nor did you take your nap this afternoon, either--ah-ah, don't even try to deny it, love, I know you didn't; one doesn't almost fall asleep in their food at dinner time after having had a two hour long nap that afternoon, after all. What's going on, love? Does it have anything to do with your stay at the orphanage?" He asked once more, his voice still gentle and calm, even though on the inside he felt like he was slowly withering away in worry.

The little buried his face into Sebastian's chest, gripping the caregiver's black shirt tightly in his small fists as he mumbled something inaudible.

"What was that, love? You'll have to speak up a bit, dear, I couldn't quite catch that."

"S-scared," he whimpered.

"Scared? Of what, my little love?"

Ciel only shook his head, admitting a low keening noise as his grip on Sebastian's shirt tightened. The boy's lack of verbal response and distressed actions only intensified Sebastian's worry.

"Ciel, look at me, love. Look at papa." He gently tilted the boy's head up so their eyes could meet. "You know you can talk to me about anything that's bothering you, Ciel, especially when it's something that makes you feel scared. Whatever it is, I promise I'll do my very best to help make it better."

Ciel's bottom lip began to slightly tremble as his crystal blue eyes glazed over with fresh tears. Before he allowed them to fall, though, he managed to give a weak nod, accompanied by a quiet response, " 'K-kay, papa." He paused, taking a deep shuddering breathe. "I t-tell y-y-you."

Sebastian wiped away the tears that once more fell down the little's face. "Take your time, love." He gave the boy a small reassuring smile.

Ciel gave another tiny nod in response, taking in a few more shuddering breaths before he started. 

"W-when I was 'way, I st-star'ded havin' bad dreams a-a-abou' m-mummy an' d-d-daddy, an-huh-an' then I star'ded havin' 'em abou' y-you...!" A couple heart wrenching sobs escaped the little. "B-b'fore I oh'nee see'ed mummy an' daddy hur'd, bu' n-now all I sees is you bein' hur'd in 'em, an' goin' 'way f'ev'er like m-mummy an' d-daddy. I jus' wan' 'em to s'op, b-bu ev'ee time I c'ose my eyes and s-s'eep, they's ol'ways th-th-there...! P-p'ease make 'em s-s-s'op, papa! I jus' wan' 'em to s'op!" The wail that emerged from the little after he finished speaking was filled with so much pain and sorrow, that Sebastian could feel his own eyes begin to water. 

It broke Sebastian's heart that his little boy had been suffering with such horrific dreams for such a long period of time, all alone without anyone to sooth and comfort him. Now that he looked back on the night before, it was all so obvious why Ciel didn't want to sleep (and the real reason why he woke up so early); so damn obvious. He was Ciel's caregiver, his papa, for God's sake--how did he not figure this out himself? No, no. He could feel angry and guilty with himself later, right now, he needed to focus all his attention on his little boy and let him know that he would make this right. And he would. Sebastian closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. Once he felt like he was back in control of his emotions, Sebastian opened his eyes and looked back down at the wailing little boy in his lap, who's knuckles were now turning white from how hard he was holding onto the caregiver's shirt.

"Oh, love. I'm so sorry you've been having such awful dreams. Everything's going to be alright now, though, darling. Papa's going to do everything he can to make things better. I swear it," he said, speaking directly into the boy's ear in a hushed, reassuring voice.

"P-p'ease don' y'eave me y'ike mummy an' d-daddy, p-p-papa!"

"I'm not going anywhere, love. I'm here, papa's right here, my little love."

Once more, the caregiver set into a rocking motion, running his hand up and down the little's heaving and trembling back, until his cries eventually died down.

Once the boy was calm enough, Sebastian gently asked, "Why didn't you tell me you've been having these kinds of dreams when you came home last night, sweetheart?."

The little sniffled a couple times, before finally answering in a quiet voice, "D-di'n wanna bov'er you wi't my stu'bid dreams."

"Hey, hey, hey--" Sebastian maneuvered Ciel so that the boy was in a sitting position on his lap and could completely face him--"Your dreams are _not_ stupid, Ciel, not at all whatsoever. Why would you ever think that?"

Ciel stared down at the white stars that littered his caregiver's shirt, refusing to meet Sebastian's eyes. " 'Cause tha's wha' they say a'd the 'phan'ag... they say I had'a be a big boy an' no'd act y'ike a baby abou' stu'bid dreams tha' were'n rea'yl."

Sebastian could feel his very soul become ingulfed with flames of rage. How dare those people say to his little that his dreams were stupid and to not act like a baby--the boy was a baby! Ciel's headspace ranged from three months to two years (which they obviously knew about from the little's classification papers), how did they expect a little as young as him to react after having a nightmare? Hell, even an older little--or even a non-little, for that matter--would break down after having a nightmare like Ciel's. And those people called themselves caregivers; no true caregiver would ever say such horrible things to any little under their care. It made Sebastian wonder how the other littles in that place were being treated. Well, he wasn't about to let something like this continue on. Tomorrow he would be making a very important phone call to Ciel's social worker and place his concern for the well being of the littles that resided in 'Rainbow Wonderland'. Sebastian mentally scoffed at the name. Some "wonderland" it turned out to be.

The caregiver lightly cleared his throat, not wanting his anger to bleed through his voice and make Ciel think that he was angry with him. "They were wrong, love, so pay their words no mind. Dreams may not be real, but even knowing that doesn't make them any less sad or scary, now does it?" The little shook his head, hesitantly looking back up and meeting his caregiver's dark chocolate eyes. "No, indeed it doesn't."

"They had absolutely no right saying those things to you, love. It's perfectly normal to feel scared or sad after a bad dream, even grown ups sometimes feel scared or sad after a bad dream."

"E'ben... e'ben you, papa?" The little sniffled.

Sebastian nodded and gave the boy a small smile. "Mhm, that's right, even me. No matter how old you are, Ciel, it's perfectly okay to cry and want comfort after a bad dream. Never forget that."

The corners of the little's lips turned up in a tiny smile of his own. " 'Kay, papa. I won'."

Sebastian wiped away the remaining tears that clung to Ciel's cheeks, and placed a sweet kiss to his little one's forehead. "That's my boy. Now, as for a way to help ease your bad dreams, how does sleeping in papa's bed for awhile sound?"

The little's smile fell away at the reminder of his nightmares, but his eyes brightened with curiosity at the mention of sleeping in his caregiver's bed. "No'd... no'd jus' for t'nigh'?" He asked in a small, timid voice.

"You can stay for as long as you need, love, not just for tonight, I promise," Sebastian quickly reassured.

" 'Kay, papa. Does tha' mean I gots t's'eep wi't you f'ev'er to keep the bad dreams 'way?"

The caregiver had to bite his lip to hold back a chuckle at the little's question. "No, love, not forever. We'll keep track of how you do these next few days. If the nightmares continue, then you can keep sleeping with me. And if they stop, then as long as you feel safe and comfortable, you can go back to sleeping in your own bed. Sound like a plan, love?" 

The little's smile returned, this time reaching his eyes. "I'ssa p'an, papa."

Relief flowed through every part of Sebastian's being (a little bit of his guilt even ebbed away, too), making him smile just as wide in return. Although, he did internally cringe when he spared a glance at the light green, forest animal themed clock above the doorframe. 10:37pm. If this worked (which Sebastian truly hoped with all his heart and soul that it did--for the sake of his little boy's mental and physical well being, and for his own sleep deprived brain and body) then they were _both_ gonna sleeping in until 10:00am the next morning, he decided.

"So, shall we go get ready for bed now, little one?"

"Mhm." Ciel rubbed at his right eye with a close-fisted hand, letting out a yawn as he did.

"Alright then, love, let's--"

"Wai'!" Sebastian jumped as Ciel gasped all of a sudden and swiveled his head over his shoulder, sleepiness completely forgotten as he frantically looked around the room for something. 

"What is it, darling?" 

"W'er b'yue? I need t'pologize for bein' mean t'him!"

Ahhh, that's what was wrong. 

The caregiver looked over toward the left side of the sofa, spotting the bunny rabbit leaning against one of the plush cushions only a couple inches away. He reached his arm out and picked up the grey rabbit. "Right here, darling, right here." He held the stuffed toy out in front of the frantically searching little.

"B'yue!" Ciel exclaimed, taking the grey rabbit into his arms and squeezing him to his chest in a crushing hug, all the while apologizing profusely to his stuffed friend for throwing him.

While the boy continued to mumble apologies against the grey rabbit's head, Sebastian got them up from the sofa and took the little into his nursery to get him changed for the night. There, he lied Ciel down on the changing table and began going through the process of getting the little one's nappy changed. By the end of the nappy change, Ciel's voice trailed off and he began dozing in and out of sleep, still clutching his stuffed friend to his chest. Sebastian smiled fondly at the adorable sight, before walking to the nursery closet and picking out one of Ciel's many pairs' of sleepers; the one he chose an emerald green color. Usually when Ciel was in his two year old mindset, Sebastian would give him the option of choosing between two items of clothing when getting him dressed, but with the little boy as tired as he was and it being so late, Sebastian decided it would best to forgo that part of the routine, again. 

The little one's sleepiness rendered him into an almost completely docile state of mind, which made the task of getting him dressed take no more than three minutes, at most (the little having only whinged a little at needing to set Blue aside during). After Sebastian dropped the clothes Ciel had been wearing before into the blue and white laundry bin, and after retrieving Ciel's baby blanket (which Rachel had made herself for Ciel before he was born; the boy hadn't slept without it ever since, and even when he was in his big headspace he still slept with it), the caregiver scooped the sleepy little boy back into his arms and began making his way to his own room a couple doors down from the nursery.

Once there, Sebastian laid Ciel down at head of the bed, right in the middle. He put a pillow on either side of the boy, creating makeshift bars of sorts so that the little wouldn't roll off the bed in the middle of the night and hurt himself. Next, the caregiver covered the little's chest and bunny rabbit with the blue, pink and yellow baby blanket, then covered him with the black comforter from the bed. Lastly, Sebastian got undressed and into a black and grey fleece, long-sleeved plaid pajama top with matching bottoms, and finally climbed into the warm bed beside his already half-asleep little boy. The tension in the caregiver's body melted away, all at once, as soon as his body hit the bed; he rested on his left side, and curled his right arm protectively around Ciel.

Just as sleep was about to take him, the sleep filled voice of his little boy made his eyes flutter back open, heavy lidded as he looked into the just as heavy lidded eyes of Ciel. 

"Papa?"

"Yes, my little love?"

"Y'ub you... y'ots," the little mumbled, just before his eyes shut and his breathing evened out as he fell into, what Sebastian hoped, was a deep and peaceful slumber.

The caregiver grinned sleepily at the little he so gratefully and happily called his own, and quietly replied back before succumbing to sleep, "I love you lots, too, Ciel. And I always will, no matter what."

**Author's Note:**

> Please leave a comment *cough*theygivemelifeandmotivation*cough* and/or kudos if you enjoyed, and may you have a great day or night! ^_^


End file.
